Happy Friday, fantasy readers! Here’s Chapter 10 Part 1 of Saving ForeverLand.

If you didn’t get a chance to read the previous chapters, remember to check those out. I’ve included the links below:

Chapter 1

Chapter 2 Part 1

Chapter 2 Part 2

Chapter 3 Part 1

Chapter 3 Part 2

Chapter 4 Part 1

Chapter 4 Part 2

Chapter 5

Chapter 6 Part 1

Chapter 6 Part 2

Chapter 7 Part 1

Chapter 7 Part 2

Chapter 8 Part 1

Chapter 8 Part 2

Chapter 9 Part 1

Chapter 9 Part 2

Enjoy!

Omor emerged from the portal, determined to get all of the TimeBenders out of there safely, but when he saw the magical chains that tied everyone’s arms and legs together, a shadow of doubt rose inside him. What is this magic? Each TimeBender was tied up with some sort of chain of light - everyone that is, except Josh, who along with Omor, appeared to be the only one able to move about the area. But Omor could tell that even Josh was at a loss. Though he flashed a brief smile at the SpaceBender he has known since his first day in ForeverLand, the boy was not himself.

“Josh,” Omor said, hoping the boy would meet his eyes. “What the hell happened?! Where’s Sarah?” Josh put his face in his hands. Was that a sob that Omor heard? Yes, it was muffled by Josh’s hands, but there nonetheless. Omor waited for Josh to show his face again - for anyone to explain what happened. Dropping his hands, Josh finally took a deep breath and began to tell Omor how he ended up under the Black Bridge…

“So then after I thought I was going to drown in that crazy whirlpool, I somehow appeared here,” Josh finished gesturing at the cramped space in which most of the benders were trapped. “I tried to talk to a few people, but it seems like they all lost the ability to speak.”

A few of the men and women behind Josh nodded vigorously, but Omor could also clearly see that no one could open their mouths. “It can’t be a coincidence that I heard sounds coming from the Silent Cove, and then when I get here no one can make a sound.”

Omor agreed. He had never heard a sound from the Silent Cove, but he trusted Josh, and if he said noises were coming from the water, then it had to be true. Clinging to any idea that could make sense of this, Omor was suddenly pulled back to memories of his old home - before he came to ForeverLand. He had crossed paths with so many different types of magic, at least, he had heard of other magic from tales of those who traveled. There was talk about powers like this. I know the wizard of my city mentioned it - but where did they originate? Racking his brain, Omor tried to replay all the conversations with the wizard. Josh and the others were watching, waiting for him to say something. This is a lot of pressure. Just when he was ready to give up hope, it hit him like a truck. 

“Gladerin!” Omor yelled as if he had just uncovered a long-lost treasure. When he looked up at the others, he noticed that they all appeared confused.

“Um, sorry Omor, but what is Gladerin?” Josh asked uncertainly. Realizing his mistake, Omor tried to backtrack. “I’m sorry, I forget that those who grew up in Leisata or ForeverLand wouldn’t have been exposed to other worlds. Now that I think about it, it might just be me and Elozar who know crossed paths with this power.”

“Tell me everything,” Josh said.

“Gladerin is a world that a wizard in my city had talked about many years ago. It’s supposed to be made up of 90% water, and the water has the power to bend sound. If someone were to transfer the water from Gladerin to here, the powers would take effect on those who were captured by the Silent Cove. I’ve heard tales of sound being created or destroyed through Bending - I just never actually witnessed it.” 

“We have to go to Elozar.” Josh put his hand on Omor’s shoulder, grounding him. “We know who’s behind this.” Josh and Omor locked eyes for a second, but then Omor turned away. “We still don’t have proof,” he said. “But,” he hesitated. “I think I know how to reverse the effects of the water. If we do that, then it proves this attack came from the Gladerin Sea,” he finished. 

“But first,” Josh interjected, “we have to break these chains.” Omor made his way over to the first Bender, a woman huddled in the corner behind Josh. The chains around her wrists and ankles were glowing brightly as a sun. Though Omor hadn’t yet experienced this type of magic, he went with his first instinct. Focusing on the chains tying up the woman, he concentrated his mind on bending the space. In seconds, large gaps in the chains - large enough for the woman’s arms and legs to slip out - appeared. It was like parts of the chains had just been erased. She didn’t hesitate - the TimeBender escaped before the gaps disappeared, then tried to speak, but found that she still couldn’t make a sound.

“Don’t worry,” Omor assured her, “we’ll take care of that too.” She smiled, and Omor knew that she was thanking him.

Going around to each trapped TimeBender, Omor created openings in the chains so that all were released in just a few minutes. When he was finished, Omor searched for Josh, as he was the only other vocal person present. Once he spotted the boy, Omor galloped over to give him further instructions.

“I can get us out of here,” Omor said, “But first, I need to gather the proof. I’ll be right back, but just try to keep everyone calm while I portal out to the Silent Cove.” Josh nodded. “I’ll take care of it,” he said.

Omor quickly conjured a portal on the stone wall and stepped through before anyone else noticed he was gone. He barely felt the effects of the portals anymore, and so Omor gracefully exited the swirl of light and arrived at the water’s edge. Leaving it open for his prompt return, he stepped forward and reached into the pouch around his waist. Though that pound looked like it could hold only a small book, Omor proceeded to pull out a large bucket. Good thing I learned that trick. He then filled the bucket with water from the Silent Cove and swiftly headed back to the prison, finally closing the portal behind him.

Omor let out a sigh of relief when he returned and ensured that the water was still in the bucket. The TimeBenders were standing in a small circle. “Hem hem.” Omor cleared his throat, hoping that would get everyone’s attention. 

He made eye contact with Josh, urging him to get everyone to follow his lead. Josh was the first to make his way over, and then the others followed suit. “I have a way to give you all the ability to speak again, but you have to trust me.” He gestured to the bucket. “You have to drink this water,” Omor said suddenly. “It’s the only way.”

The TimeBenders all looked to Josh, and his nod seemed to be all they needed. One by one, they formed a line in front of Omor, who picked up the bucket and held it above each person’s face, tipping the water over their mouths that were sealed shut. The first person stood still as a few drops of water hit his lips, and then suddenly it was like his voice broke free. His lips parted and a gurgling sound emerged. As one more sip of water flowed through his mouth, the magic solidified, and he could speak again. When everyone realized Omor’s plan had worked, their eyes seemed to glow with life once again and Omor noticed the line get closer to him, as the benders tried to push their way to the front.

Omor tried to move them along quickly, only waiting until he heard the gurgling erupt from each person’s newly opened mouth before ushering them aside and moving on to the next. 

Josh stood to Omor’s left, a few feet away, gathering the now-vocal TimeBenders together to wait for Omor to complete his job. Considering they had been trapped and silenced for most of the day, the rescued victims were calm and quiet throughout the process. 

As Omor heard the last TimeBender’s voice return, there was an audible sigh of relief coming from the group as well. He turned to his left and watched all of them join hands, connected both physically and somehow, emotionally. Omor allowed himself to smile at the scene before him, proud of his work. But before he could get too caught up in his relief, he felt the urgency of the situation fall upon him, as if someone had grabbed his shoulders and restrained him. 

“Although we aren’t in imminent danger anymore, we have to act fast if we want to stay a step ahead of Hadoo,” Omor instructed. “But first, who can tell us what happened here today?”

Things are heating up with The Great Substack Story Challenge! Check out the table of contents, which lists all the newsletters/writers participating in the challenge if you want to catch up on the mess Joey got himself into:

Check it Out on Fictionistas

Chapter 4: The Grisly Ghosts of Gruesome Time